3 Easy Ways to Better Listening

When you open your mouth, you close your ears.

We all know the importance of listening to our prospects and clients, so why are we doing so little of it?

Simple—salespeople love to pitch, to tell prospects of all the features and benefits, and to find the one selling point that might make the difference.

But speaking so much just turns people off—and besides, it’s easier to ask a prospect what they want and then to listen as they tell you…

Here are three easy ways to listen—and so learn—what your prospects really want:

#1) Hit your Mute button after you ask a question, or whenever your prospect starts speaking.

No, you don’t have to utter an “uh-huh,” or “right,” to evidence you’re listening. That just distracts them.

Mute, shut up, listen and learn. Try it.

#2) Write down key words or phrases your prospect uses.

Have a pad and pen handy and make it a habit to jot down words or unique phrases your prospects or clients use.

Then feed these back to them.

This practice is perhaps the best way to make you an active listener.

#3) Encourage your prospect and clients to keep talking.

Once a person has stopped talking, use any of the following phrases:

“What else is important to you?”

“Besides that, what else can you think of?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Go on…”

“Oh?”

And then once your prospect/client resumes talking, hit your Mute button and take notes!

Remember, when you open your mouth, you close your ears.

Use these 3 simple methods to close your mouth and open your ears.

Related: How Your Attitude About Sales Affects Your Sales